In January 1973, Shuaib Raheem, aka Earl Robinson, and three others took over John & Al's Sporting Goods store in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in order to steal firearms to wage “a war on injustices against Muslims.”

NYPD Police Officer Stephen Gilroy responded with other officers to the location. Officer Gilroy sustained a gunshot wound to the head; his body remained at the location along with other wounded officers and hostages for the duration of the two-day siege.